Austrian Alps and along the Danube

Superb scenery and simply stunning driving

Enjoy breath taking scenery as you travel in your own motorhomes through the very best of the Austrian Alps including driving the stunning Grossglockner High Alpine road, a purpose built Alpine pass with a series of museums for visiting along the way. Leaving the Alps we follow the majestic Danube river, with a series of riverside drives travelling through Austria and into Germany, all the way to find the rivers source.

To maximise social distancing on this tour, excursions are all walkable from the campsites and group meals are planned for outdoors.

This tour is completed off Austrian motorways so there is no need for any ‘Go Box’ or ‘Vignette’ motorway tolls. Throughout the tour there are many stunning drives, all very suitable for motorhomes as they are all used by full sized coaches, however at times a confident driving approach will be required.

Be prepared for some of the best mountain, river and countryside scenery to be found in Europe.

Day One – Tuesday 8^th September
We meet at a well-appointed campsite in the Austrian Alps near to Innsbruck where our pitches have good views into the Austrian mountains. This evening the Tour Directors will host a welcome drinks reception at their motorhome for all to get together.

Day Two – Wednesday 9^th September
A leisurely day with lunch at the campsites own terrace restaurant overlooking the lake.

Day Three – Thursday 10^th September
We travel further into the mountains and our campsite is in the centre of the Stubaital Valley. Whilst the drive is only short, keeping off the motorways we can enjoy the stunning scenery. Once at the campsite relax and enjoy the marvellous hills all around you. 22 miles

Day Four – Friday 11^th September
From nearby to our campsite we take the cable car up to obtain some great views of the Stubaital valley. Following a refreshment break at the top you may join with the Tour Directors for a 2 hour walk back to our campsite. Alternatively, the cable car can also be used for the return journey.

Day Five – Saturday 12^th September
Today we pass through more fabulous scenery as we travel to our next Austrian campsite, near to the start of the Grossglockner High Alpine Route. 135 Miles

Day Six – Sunday 13^th September
A free day. Take a walk into the nearby Alpine town of Heiligenblut or just relax and start thinking about tomorrows journey.

Day Seven – Monday 14^th September
Built in the 1930’s the Grossglockner High Alpine Route is for many simply the best driving experience in Europe. At just 30 miles it is not very long but allow all day to pass as it is so much more than just a road. The whole area is a national park and along the way are 12 museums to visit covering the history of building the road, to the efforts required for clearing the snow to open the road on the 1^st May each year, to the wildlife and nature that survive and live at this altitude. Have your cameras ready.

Having crossed the Grossglockner, we arrive at Zell am See and our campsite is right on the lake. This evening we have dinner on the terrace of the campsites own restaurant. 35 miles. Note the Grossglockner National Park is a toll road and this is payable locally, for a motorhome this is around €40.

Days Eight and Nine. Tuesday 15^th and Wednesday 16^th September
Free days. Our Zell am See campsite is in a great location both for scenery and convenience. From the campsites own jetty lake cruisers can be taken for a tour of the lake or as transport to the city. Alternatively, it’s a pleasant 2km lakeside walk to the city centre. Also good cycling opportunities exist all around the lake.

Day Ten – Thursday 17^th September
A short drive this morning to Krimml, home of Europe’s largest waterfall. Dispensing up to 50 cubic metres of water per second from a height of 380m it’s a powerful sight to be seen. This afternoon we walk to the base of the waterfall from where you can admire the sheer power of the falls and from where (for the more energetic) it is possible to walk up alongside the falls on a purpose built viewing path. This evening in the village fountain park, just a couple of minutes walk away from our camp, is the chance to view a ‘sonne et lumiere’. 35 miles

Day Eleven – Friday 18^th September
This morning we have a leisurely start to the day and are treated to breakfast at the hotel. Later we travel along scenic roads to arrive at Hallstatt. 100 miles

Day Twelve – Saturday 19^th September
In Hallstatt we find the houses are all built of wood including the roofs. They stem back to the days when the town housed only salt mine workers, today the whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Today we have a leisurely lunch within the old part of Hallstatt.

Day Thirteen – Sunday 20^th September
A free day, an opportunity to further explore this fascinating area including Hallstatt lake.

Day Fourteen – Monday 21^st September
Today we gradually leave the Alpine scenery as we arrive on the banks of the Danube and our camping at Melk. This evening we have dinner on the campsite restaurant’s terrace overlooking the river. 130 miles

Day Fifteen – Tuesday 22^nd September
We take a walk into Melk where we have a visit of its famous Abbey arranged. Being one of the biggest and most beautiful European Baroque Ensembles, Melk Abbey is famous worldwide and now attracts UNESCO´s World Cultural Heritage status.

Day Sixteen – Wednesday 23^rd September
Leaving Melk we follow the Danube along a riverside road. With a relatively short driving distance there is plenty of time for stops along the way. An overnight camp before we continue our Danube journey tomorrow. 100 miles

Day Seventeen – Thursday 24^th September
We continue the journey along the Danube, much of it riverside, to arrive at Regensburg in Germany. 100 miles 

Day Eighteen – Friday 25^th September
Regensburg is located directly on the Danube and today we take a boat cruise along the river to Walhalla. Built by King Ludwig, Walhalla is a hall of fame that honours laudable and distinguished people in German history. There will be time to make the walk from the river cruise to Walhalla and visit this monument that resembles the Acropolis in Athens.

Day Nineteen – Saturday 26^th September
A free day. The historical centre of Regensburg is well worth seeing, including the first stone bridge to have been built across the Danube. A visit to the city is walkable from our campsite by following the riverside footpath.

Day Twenty – Sunday 27^th September
We move on today continuing to follow the Danube to Sigmaringen where our campsite is again right on the banks of the river. On route you will see the river reducing in size as we are now getting closer to the source. 190 miles

Day Twenty-one – Monday 28^th September
Sigmaringen castle is our destination for today. Just a short walk from the campsite we make a visit to this ancestral home of the powerful and ancient Hohenzoltern dynasty.

Day Twenty-two – Tuesday 29th September
A relaxing day. Take a morning stroll alongside the river, where now the Danube is shallow and looks somewhat different to that we first joined in Austria. A group lunch is arranged for later today.

Day Twenty-three – Wednesday 30^th September

The final day of our tour and where we get to the source of the Danube, as we arrive in Donauschingen. Just a short drive today allows for plenty of stopping time. We again follow the river, this time through the stunningly beautiful Danube Nature Park. On route we stop at Beuron to walk its old wooden bridge, spanning the Danube and now forming part of the Augustinian Order pilgrim route. Arriving in Donauschingen we park our motorhomes and meet for the final part of the journey, on foot to the source of the river. Later in the day we move to a campsite near Donauschingen for our final night. This evening the Tour Directors will host farewell drinks for everyone to get together and reflect on the journey that has been the ‘Austrian Alps and along the Danube’. 30 miles

Day Twenty-four – Thursday 1^st October
Tour ends this morning.

PRICE

Motorhome with 2 people = £0000 per person
Motorhome with 1 person = £0000

DEPOSIT £000

INCLUDED IN PRICE

• • 22 campsite nights with electric hook-up
  • 1 overnight hotel parking
  • Services of two Tour Directors travelling in their own motorhome
  • Tour information pack with suggested routes & GPS co-ordinates

MEALS & DRINKS INCLUDED

• Welcome drinks reception
• Lunch at Innsbruck campsite restaurant with wine
• Refreshment drinks at top of cable car in Stubai Valley
• Dinner at Zell am See campsite restaurant with wine
• Breakfast at Krimml Hotel
• Lunch at Hallstatt restaurant with wine
• Dinner at Melk campsite restaurant with wine
• Lunch with wine in Sigmaringen
• Farewell drinks

Note all meals will be planned outdoors and could be subject to some changes should weather force this. If meals are moved inside they will proceed where social distancing guidelines can be adhered to.

Excursion and Events included

• Stubai Valley cable car
• Day on Grossglockner High Alpine Route (motorhome toll not included – around €40 payable locally)
• Entrance fees to Krimml waterfall
• Viewing of Krimml village ‘sonne et lumiere’
• Visit to Melk Abbey
• Danube boat cruise
• Entry to Walhalla Hall of Fame
• Visit to Sigmaringen castle
• Danube source visit

Note excursions on this tour include some walking.

This tour starts near Innsbruck in Austria, but if you would like to travel here from the UK at the same time as the Tour Directors please book the optional tour package so that everything can be arranged on your behalf.

OPPITIONAL PACKAGE

• Return Dover/Calais Ferry with Flexible Ticket + Club Class Lounge entry (subject to being open)
• 4 additional campsite nights with electric hook-ups starting in Kent on Friday 4^th September 2020 then in France & 2 x Germany
• Dinner at one of the German campsites
• Tour information pack with suggested routes & GPS co-ordinates
• Services of Tour Directors travelling in their own motorhome

OPTIONAL PACKAGE PRICE

Motorhome with 2 people @ £000 per person
Motorhome with 1 person @ £000